Page 91 - Historic-Masterpieces-Dec24

Lot No. 42
AKBAR PADAMSEE

1928-2020

UNTITLED
36 x 24 in (91.4 x 61 cm)
Oil on canvas
2001
Signed & Dated: Top Right

` 20,00,000 - 30,00,000 | $ 24,691 - 37,037

Provenance: Property from an international collection

Akbar Padamsee’s distinctive approach to portraiture
evolved significantly throughout his artistic career.
Beginning in the 1950s with sculptural forms defined
by bold, dark outlines, his style transformed into
solitary, melancholic figures that often merged with
their surroundings. Among the most striking features of
his oeuvre were his depictions of the nude form, which
served as a pivotal element in his exploration of space,
emotion, and human vulnerability. These subjects,
ponderous and monumental, enabled Padamsee
to delve into the spatial dynamics within which
they resided.

While these works evoke a sense of fragility, they remain
distant, detached from the viewer’s gaze. The rich red
and orange tones, so characteristic of Padamsee’s
metascapes, further enhance the sombreness and depth
of these compositions, lending them an otherworldly
and meditative quality.